Poseidon is one of the more famous of the deities of ancient Greece. Here is an overview of who he was, what he did and his position the Pantheon.
The Role of Poseidon In Ancient Greece
The many gods and goddesses of the ancient Greek culture played important roles in every Greek's life. From the family hearth, to the life-giving sun, to the water they bathed in, Greek gods were seen to govern all aspects of daily life. While some regions of the Greek realm were actual cults, which meant they worshiped one god or goddess above all others; others prayed to specific figures at different points in the year or for different strengths. If a mariner was about to go to sea, it is pretty certain that he would have prayed to Poseidon.
While Poseidon's largest governance was the sea and ocean, he was also considered the god of horses, and the “Earth-Shaker”, creator of earthquakes. In Mycenaean culture, Poseidon was seen as the most powerful of all the gods, even above Zeus – he was the most frequently written about god in the entire pantheon. At this point, he was associated with “Two Queens”, Demeter and Persephone, although in later Hellenic Greece he was not at all related to these goddesses. He was also seen in this culture as the “Earth Father” with Demeter being the “Earth Mother”.
Poseidon was also a major patron god of several large cities within Greece. In Athens, he was second in line only to Athena, and in Corinth he was the main god of the city. Apollo was a close associate god, and while Poseidon's realm was generally seen to be in the areas of the Earth and bodies of water, he also had another trait that was a bit more sinister. Poseidon was also blamed for causing mental disturbances, such as epilepsy. He shared this ability with both the god Dionysus, and the creatures known as the Maenads.
When sailors embarked on voyages, they prayed heavily to Poseidon. Occasionally, they would even sacrifice horses by drowning (as he was also known as the god of horses). It was said that when Poseidon was in his benevolent aspect, he created both calm seas and new islands. When the god was displeased or angered, however, he would cause earthquakes and shipwrecks by striking the ground with his trident. Poseidon was often pictured in a chariot being pulled by horses or sea horses, holding a trident, and associated with dolphins.
While Zeus was known as the originator god in later parts of Greek culture, Poseidon was the first “head god” of note. His later appearances as the duel god of water and earthquakes meant that he had the ability to affect many people at once, so he garnered many prayers, sacrifices and attention from all of Greece.
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Richard Monk is with FactsMonk.com - a site with facts about Greece.
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